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Cooking For One

Whether you live in a large household or not, you may find you have to cook just for one or two people now and then. When cooking for one, you don't have to eat the same old leftovers every night! Here are some tips for cooking for one:

Make Use of your Freezer Dishes such as curry, rice and dal (lentils) freeze well, so make more than you need for one meal. Freeze individual portions in plastic containers, which you can find at any supermarket. You can then defrost only as much as you need, when you need it.

Same Ingredient, Many Meals Purchase ingredients that can be used for a variety of meals and use them throughout the week. Fresh produce, canned beans (such as kidney beans), or cooked chicken are common ingredients in many recipes. Search websites such as www.foodtv.com or www.epicurious.com for recipes using ingredients you have on hand so that you can use the same ingredient for a few different recipes.

Get a Doggie BagWhen you eat out, order a little more that you normally would so you will have some leftovers. Make a quick side dish to go with your leftovers and you've got another delicious meal!

Find a Cooking BuddyGet together with a friend and cook together. Not only can you split the leftovers but cooking together is a great way to relax and unwind. Get a bottle of wine and some good music and spend an evening cooking!

With a little ingenuity, you can make cooking for one fast and easy. You don't need to graze off of whatever is in the fridge - treat yourself to a delicious meal instead!

4 Comments

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01/02/2009 - 18:30

I hate cooking for one, but when my husband is traveling I do it any way, as I eat much healthier than if I just grab something easy.
I like making stirfries for one with fish, chicken, meat and lotsa veggies. Also grilling food on the barbecue cuts clean up and tastes great. I always use a lot of spices and chiles!
Shanti/Mary-Anne

Ah yes, turn the leftovers into a soup, a curry, or a masala for dosa or ? I had 3 slices of a large tenderloin roast from daughter's house. Her DH, Sead, had marinaded and roasted a very large bone-in loin and sent us home with 3 large slies.
I opted for a Thai green curry-just added some Thai green eggplants and some leftover oven roasted root veggies (parsnips, carrots, onions, garlic). Excellent but maybe too spicey for some VBG
Shanti/Mary-Anne

cooking for one is something i hate, when no one is home, i dont even feel like entering the kitchen..however, when hubby s away for 2 days or more - i rely greatly on the refrigerator ;)... as Rajni Hatti said, i used to refrigerate dishes in small containers and use it as and when needed.. bread and bread-spreads are somethin that would come in handy when cooking for one..